Machine fob cutting composition shingles



March 18 1924. 1,487,663

am. LANGsToN MACHINE FOR CUTTING COMPOSITION SHINGLES Filed July 28. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 18 1924.

S. M. LANGSTON MACHINE FOR CUTTING COMPOSITION SHINCTLEISy Filed July 28 1922 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 1S, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcs.

SAMUEL M. LANGSTON, 0F WENONAH, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR- CUTTING Applicaton filed .Tuly 28,

To all wiz-0m it may concer/n.:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. LANesToN, a citizen of the United Sta-tes, and resident of lVenonah, in the county of Gloucester and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Machines for Cutting Composition Shingles, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention is an improvement in machines for cutting sheet material into strips each having recesses or apertures therein. I have particularly in mind the cutting of waterproofed and mineral coated sheets of rooting material into shingle strips each having slots or recesses along one edge thereof, whereby when the strips are laid in overlapping relationship on a root1 the exposed portions between adjacent slots or recesses will simulate individual shingles or tiles.

ln the apparatus disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 571,- 983, llled June th, 1922, l provide means tor forming a series ot transverse rows ot" longitudinally extending tongues which are later cut ot at their base ends and removed te the weather in use and by varying thel depth oi the slots shingle strips may be made t'or varying overlap depending upon the pitch of the root, the character of the material or the choice of the user.

A further object is to provide an improved cuttinoi means whereby all four edges of vthe slot or aperture are formed by score cutters acting against hardened surfaces or platens. This is important in dealing with rooting material having a coating of crushed slate, sand, lint, or the like on one surface, and which rapidly chills shearing cutters. By so mounting my improved score cutters that the knives which cut'into the back of the sheet and toward the mineral coated surface, but not entirely to the platen, the

vbody of the sheet. may be completely out COMPOSITION sHINGLns.

1922. Serial No. 578,171.v

but knives are not dulled as rapidly as they are where they cut entirely through the mineral coating.

A further object is to provide an improved cutting means for forming a pair or" slits in the direction of length of feeding movement of the sheet, the knife holder being oi such character vthat knives of various diierent lengths may be used in accordance with the length of the desired slits.

In the accompanying drawings l have illustrated one embodiment o'l. my invention. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section showing somewhat diagrammatically the main operating parts of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a section similar to a portion of Fig. l but on a larger scale.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on the line 8--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section similar to a portion ot Fig. 3 but on a larger scale.

Fig' is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section similar to a portion of Fig. 2, but on a larger scale.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Figa 8 is a section on the line 8 8 et Fig. 7, and y Figs. 9 and 10 are plan views of a sheet showing the successive cuts with different adjustments of the machine.

ln the machine diagrainmatically illustratcd in Fig. l, and with the parts designed and proportioned for the cutting of a sheet .in the manner shown 'in Fig. 9, the sheet A passes between a pair of rotary coacting members lO and il which act to form a series of rows of transverse slit-s o. therein. The sheet then passes between a pair ot coacting rotary members l2 and 13 which form a series oit rows of pairs of longitudinal slits b, the two slits of each pair registering at one end with one of the transverse slits a so as to form a series of rows or longitudinally extending tongues c. At though the tongues may be united to the sheet at either their Yfront or rear end, they are preferably united at the Yliront or advancing end so that they are drawn along by their attached ends. The sheet then passes between a pair ot coacting rotary members 14. and l5 which act to form a series of rows of transverse slits l severing the tongues at their bases and removing the severed pieces so as to leave transverse rows of slots or apertures c. The sheet then passes through a chopper or cut off mechanism, that illustrated being of the type illustrated and broadly claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,359,07 6 of November 16, 1920, and includes upper and lower cutter members 16, 17 which move toward and from each other and cut while moving with the material at substantially the same speed as the latter. Upon opposite sides of the chopper are two pairs of feed rollers 18, 19, and 20, 21, the latter Idriven at slightly higher surface speed than the former so as to hold the sheet substantially taut or at least to take out slack in the section upon which the chopper operates. As shown ythe lower feed roll 21 has annular grooves through which extend a seriesof supporting belts 22. Each belt is connected to the lower knife member 17 and to a coil spring 23 so as to hold the belts taut and permit them to move back and forth with the knife during the .swinging movement of the latter. Beyond the feed rolls 20, 21, there may be an additional pair of feed rolls 24, 25,' the lower of which serves as a pulley or drum for a conveyor belt 26. Additional feed rolls may of course be incorporated in the machine at any stage along the path of movement of the rsheet material.

I have not illustrated the supporting, gearing, driving and timing mechanisms for the various parts, as these form no portion of my present invention. They may be substantially thesame as those illustrated in my Patent 1,462,138 issued July 17, 1923..

The series of members y10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are of such relative sizes and surface speeds and are so adjusted that the slits register as hereinbefore described. The cut 0H mechanism is so driven and timed as to form transverse slits f registering with one end of each aperture in each row to subdivide the sheet into the linished shingle strips B.

As hereinafter described, adjustment of the parts permits the making of the longitudinal slits and the corresponding tongues and apertures of twice the length of those shown in Fig. 9, and each alternate transverse cut f will come midway between two successive rows of apertures, and the other transverse cuts will extend across the several rows intermediate of the ends of the aperture-s, as indicated in Fig. 10.

I have referred to the forming of the tongues c by lirst cutting a transverse yslit and then cutting a pair of longitudinal slits. It will be evident that the order in which these slits are formed is immaterial, and that by a mere reversal of the position of the parts the two longitudinal -slits may be formed first and then the transverse slit at one end to forni the tongues, and finally the transverse slit at the other end to sever the tongues at their bases. This involves merely the placing of the members 12 and 13 in the position indicated for the members 10 and 11, and the placing of the members 10 and 11 in the position indicated for the members 12 and 13.

The members 10 and 11 for forming the transverse slit a are shown particularly in Figs. 2, 7 and 8. The upper member 10 has a body portion 30 axially and circumferentially adjustable on a supporting shaft 31 and on the periphery are a series of platen blocks or plates 32 presenting hardened faces .against which the knives act. Preferably the blocks set into longitudinal grooves in the surface of the body portion and they may be held in place in any suitable manner, as for instance by screws 33. The lower member 11 has Va body portion 34 axially and circumferentially adjustable on a drive shaft 35, and is provided with a series of radially disposed longitudinally extending grooves in the periphery thereof. In each of these grooves there is mounted a knife 36 held in place by a pair of clamping screws 37. The knives may be of sufficient length to permit firm securing in position, but the cutting edge portion which projects out beyond the groove is of a length corresponding to the length of the slit a which is `to be formed by the knife. The members 10 and 11 are so adjusted that the knife edges contact with or come closely adjacent to the outer surface of the platen blocks 32 so that the knife passes through the body portion of the sheet to form the desired slit. In cutting up mineral coated roofing material the coated surface is fed in uppermost so that the knife 36 cuts through the back of the sheet and thus it may go entirely through the body of the sheet to `sever the latter, .but not go entirely through the attached sand or crushed slate, to accurately position and form the `slit without coming into direct contact withl the surface of the platen block. The .upper member 3.0 may be circumferentially adjusted to bring various portions of the platen surface opposite the knife to distribute wear or scoring effect on the latter, and the knife 36 may be adjusted radially to proper position, even after being worn away by repeated sharpening. It may be adjusted endwise for fine adjustment of the position of the slit. As described in my patent, above referred to, both members and their shafts may be endwise adjusted as well as iadjusted about their axes and in respect to their driving gears.

The members 12 ,and 13 for forming the pairs of longitudinal slits are shown particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The upper member .12 constitutes a platen member and may be .provided with hardened steel rings ico or ring sections 40 against which the knives may act. These platen rings or ring sections may be secured in place in any suitable manner, as for instance by screws 41. Each platen section presents a surface at least equal to but preferably somewhat longer than the longitudinal slits to be formed and if these slits are to be formed fairly close together, one platen ring may serve for the backing plate for the knives which form the two adjacent slits of each pair. The platens are carried by a body portion 42 which may be longitudinally and circumferentially adjustable upon a supporting and driving shaft 43.

The lower member 12 includes a body portion 44 axially and circumferentially adjustable on a driving shaft 45, and carries a pair of knives 46 having curved outer edges for rolling contact with the outer surface of the platen 40. These may be secured in position in various different ways, but preferably they engage with opposite end surfaces of the body portion or a flange thereon, and are held in place by opposed clamping rings 47, 48 which are retained by bolts or screws 49. The knives 46 may have cutting edges of any desired circular are depending upon the length of the slits to be formed. For cutting the sheet as indicated in Fig. 10, these knives would be of twice the length of those used in cutting the sheet as indicated in Fig. 9. The member 13 is shown as carrying two pairs of the knives, but the number of pairs will vary with the length of the slits and the distance between slits, and with the diameter of the member. It will loe obvious that by loosening the screws 49, knives 46 of the desired length of cutting edge may be readily inserted. The wear on ythe platen may be distributed by endwise as well as circumferential adjustment of the member 12.

The members 14 and 15 for severing the tongues at their bases and removing the severed pieces may be constructed substantially as illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 571,983, filed June 30, 1922. These members are shown particularly in Figs. 2, 5 and 6. The upper member 14 has a body portion 50 provided with one or more platen plates or blocks 51 against each of which a knife 52 carried by the body portion 53 of the lower member 15 may engage. The upper member or the platen block 51 thereof carries a pin 54 which is so positioned that it pierces the material between the two slits 5-5 and adjacent to the base end of the tongue simultaneously with or immediately after the severing of the base end by the action of the knife 52. The pin may enter a slot or recess in the lower member to insure the proper piercing action. As the knife 52 and the pin 54 pass through the line of tangency between the members 14 and 15, the tongue is cut olii' at the base and the severed piece becomes attached to the upper member by reason of the piercing of said piece by the pin 54.

Any suitable form of stripper mechanism may be employed for removing the pieces from the pins. As shown, there is provided a transversely extending trough or receptacle 55 above and at one side of the member 14, and this carries strippers 56 pressed resiliently against the periphery of the member 14. Each stripper is bifurcated or provided with a narrow slot through which the pin 54 may pass, and each stripper has a thin or wedged edge which will enter beneath the severed piece and cause the latter to ride out on to and slide down the stripper while the pin goes through the slot in the stripper. The body portions 50 and 53 of the members 14 and 15 may be adjusted circumferentially and axially on their respective shafts 57 and 58, the adjustment being such that the slits formed by the knives 52 will properly register with the slits 5 5 and the pin 54 will come at the proper distance in the rear of the slit d made by the knife 52. There may be radially and endwise adjustment of the knives 52 and adjustment of the member 14 in respect to the member 15 to distribute wear on the platen 51.

In order to vary the length of the slot it is merely necessary to rotatably adjust the members 14 and 15 in respect to the members 10 and 11 to get the desired spacing of the two sets of transverse slits. The only substitution of parts which is required is that involved in the use of knives 46 of the proper length. If the change in the length of the slot is merely a doubling of the length, as for instance in cutting the sheet as shown in Fig. 10 instead of in Fig. 9, one knife on each member 53 may be removed and the corresponding platen or its pin 54 removed, and one knife 36 removed from each member 11. Thus the members 11 and 15 will cut only one-half as many slits, and by use of knives 46 of the proper length and by properly adjusting the members 14 and 15 and the members 10 and 11 in respect to each other and to the members 12 and 13, the desired double length slits may be formed.

It will be noted that all of the knives act against platens or hardened surfaces, that is, act on the score cut, rather than the shear cut principle. By proper adjustment of the knives so that they cut through the body of the sheet without cuting all the way through the mineral coating, the knives may be kept sharp for a long time. All of the knives are preferably beveled on one side only and this is preferably on the side toward the piece to be severed so that any crushing or distorting effect on the material will be yonly on the waste pieces which are to be cut out.

Although they machine as illustrated is designed for making comparatively narrow slots extending lengthwise of .thel sheet, it will be apparent that by proper adjustment or proportioning of the various parts these slots may be varied in width as well as in length andmay be of any sizes or proportions. If the strips instead of being cut transversely of the sheet are cut lengthwise thereof, these parts would be so designed and proportioned that the slots would have their greatest dimension transversely of the sheet instead of lengthwise an-d the cut off mechanism 16, 17 would be adjusted to sever the sheet at ,distances equal to the desired length of a strip rather than the desired width of the strip.

With such a machine I preferably employ slitters between the feed rollers 20, 21 and the feed rollers 24., 25 to slit the sections' cut olf by the knives 16, 17 ,intoI separate strips, as shown in my Patent 1,462,138.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine for forming apertures in sheet material, two pairs of coacting rotary members, one pair adapted to form a transverse slit and the other pair adapted to form a pair of longitudinal slits, the pairs being so adjusted that one end of each longitudinal slit substantially registers with a corresponding end of the transverse slit, whereby longitudinally extending tongues are formed, and mechanism separate from said two pairs of coacting rotary members for cutting olf the tongues at their bases and removing them from the sheet to form apertures.

2. In a machine for forming shingle strips from sheet material, two pairs of coacting rotary members, one pair adapted to form a transverse slit and the other pair adapted to form a pair of longitudinal slits, the pairs being so adjusted that one end of each longitudinal slit substantially registers w1th a corresponding end of the transverse slit, whereby longitudinally extending tongues are formed, a third pair of coacting rotary members for cutting off the tongues at their bases and removing them from the sheet to fo-rm apertures, and means for cutting the sheet transversely into strips.

3. In a machine for forming shingle strips from sheet material, the combination of two pairs of coacting rotary members, one pair adapted to form a transverse slit' and the other pair including a platen inember and a knife carrying member having a pair of knives adapted for cooperation with the surfaceof said platen member to form a pair of longitudinal slits, the transverse slit and the longitudinal slits coacting to form a tongue, and mechanism beyond said pairs of members for cutting o the tongue at its base and removing it from the sheet to form apertures.

4. In a machine for forming shingle strips from sheet material, the combination of two pairs of coacting rotary members, one member of each pair presenting a platen surface, and one member Orf one pair presenting a transverse knife and the other member of the other pair presenting a pair of parallel knives for cutting longitudinal slits, said members being adjusted and positioned whereby the slits cooperate to define tongues', and means beyond said pairs of members for cutting olf said tongues at their bases. and removing the severed pieces.

5. In a machine for forming shingle strips of sheet material, a pairof coacting rotary members, one member presenting a platen surface and the other member presenting a pair of knives having curved cutting edges for rolling contact with the platen surface whereby there are formed a pair of longitudinal slits in the sheet, means for forming a transverse slit, and separate means for forming a second transverse slit space-d therefrom, said transverse slits and loiigi-V tudinal slits registering to define apertures, and said two means being relatively adjustable to vary the distance between said transverse slits and correspondingly vary one dimension of said aperture.

6. A machine of the class described, including three pairs of rotary coacting members, and means for feeding a sheet of material between the two members of the several pairs in succession, one member of one pair having a platen surface and the other member of said pair having a pair of knives for cutting a pair of slits in the sheet, one member of another pair having a platen surface and the other member of said pair having a knife for cutting a third slit, and the third pair having means for forming a fourth slit, the four slits being so positioned as to define an aperture.

7. A machine of the class described, including three pairs of rotary coacting members and means for feeding a sheet of material between the two members of the several pairs in succession, one member of one pair having a platen surface and the other member of said pair having a pair of knives for cutting a pair of longitudinal slits in the sheet, one member of another pair having a platen surface and the other member of said pair having a knife for cutting a transverse slit, the three slits being so positioned as to form a longitudinally extending tongue, and the third pair having means for forming a second transverse slit to sever the tongue at its base.

8. A machine as defined in claim 7, in which the last mentioned pair of members has means for removing the severed pieces from the sheet.

9. A machine of the class described, including means for feeding a sheet of material endwise, a pair of rotary coacting members to cut a row of transverse slits, a second pair of members acting to cut a row of pairs of longitudinal slits connecting with the opposite ends of the slits of the first mentioned row, and another pair of rotary coacting members to cut another row of transverse slits connecting said second mentioned pairs of slits the other end and thereby form apertures, the last mentioned pair of memb rs having means for removing the severed piece from the sheet.

10. A machine of the character defined in claim 9, in which the second mentioned pair of members has means for supporting knives of various lengths, and the irst mentioned pair are rotatably adjustable in respect to each other, whereby the length of the apertures transversely of the sheet may be varied at will.

11. A machine of the class described, including three pairs of rotary coacting members arranged to cut in succession upon a sheet fed between the two members of each pair, one member of one pair having a pair of parallel knives to form a row of pairs of slits, one member of another pair having a knife for cutting a row of slits the three slits intersecting to form tongues, and one member of the last pair of the series having a knife for cutting a row of slits to sever said tongues.

12. A machine of the class defined in claim 11, in which one member of the last mentioned pair has means for receiving' and removing from the sheet the severed piece.

13. A machine for forming a row of apertures in a sheet of material, including three pairs of rotary coacting members, one memm ber of one pair having a pair of knives extending circumferentially thereof for cutting a pair of parallel slits in the sheet lengthwise of the latter, one member of another pair having a knife for cutting a transverse slit and one member of the third pair having a. knife for forming a second transverse slit Said slits intersecting to define an aperture, said pair of knives being removable to permit the use of knives of different arcuate length, and said two last mentioned members being relatively rotatable to form the two transverse slits at different distances apart lengthwise of the sheet, whereby apertures of different lengths may be formed.

Signed at Camden in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey this 26th day of July A. D. 1922.

SAMUEL M. LANGSTON. 

